


Lionheart

by BremenBunny



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Arthur Finds Out, Arthur is an idiot, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Gwaine Knows, Gwaine is there from the beginning, Homophobia, Merlin is an idiot, Multi, Spoilers up to s03e04, Unrequited Love, not even remotely in chronological order
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-06
Updated: 2014-07-12
Packaged: 2017-12-28 13:36:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/992592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BremenBunny/pseuds/BremenBunny
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You've no idea what he's done for you, do you?"</p><p>Merlin is fed up with Arthur's ungratefulness (and really, who can blame him?) and so is just about everyone else.  After seeing Merlin endure princely projectiles, accusations of sorcery, near-death, and the prince just being a clotpole in general, Gwaine decides it's his responsibility to knock some sense into the prince.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sophia

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is written like a series of oneshots where Gwaine tells Arthur off after a bad thing happens. I know, I'm so good at explaining. It might make sense once you read the fic, though.
> 
>  **Update 4/25/14:**  
>  Good news, several people! I've decided to revive this fic because people actually wanted to read it. I've written about half of the second chapter. Be warned: I haven't written in a while and I remember so little about this fic. Prepare yourselves for a drastic change in tone and/or plot. I might even have to change the summary.
> 
> * * *
> 
> Follow me on tumblr! [ofnobleheart.tumblr.com](http://ofnobleheart.tumblr.com)

"I don't know how you do it.  Honestly, Merlin."

Gwaine clapped Merlin on the back forcefully after he had gotten back from his daily rounds, consisting of having to be Arthur's slave, running errands for Gaius, and basically saving the world.

Merlin sighed, trying not to sink into Gwaine's touch.  It'd been far too long sine he'd been able to relax - he was getting soft.  

"Yeah, well, you get used to it once you've done it for years."  He sighed once more, sliding off the bed to lie on the floor.  He was stopped by Gwaine's hand latching onto his arm.

"Oh no, Merlin, you're not sleeping on the floor after the day you've had."  The knight pulled Merlin into the bed quite forcefully, not letting him resist the duress.

"But what about you?" Merlin grunted, trying to untangle himself from the mess of sheets and Gwaine.

"I sure as hell am not sleeping in the floor.  Come on, we can sleep together."  The larger man squeezed Merlin so that the servant had no choice but to lay there, encircled by strong arms.

"I am not a maiden for you to woo into bed."

"Really? Could have fooled me."

Merlin tried as best he could to cuff Gwaine about the head, but the knight's hold was too strong.

"Unhand me, knave!"

"Knave?  I would have sworn I'd been knighted not five days ago."

"Knight, knave, you're all one and the same."  Merlin chuckled, beginning to feel the effects of exhaustion.  He closed his eyes and let himself settle back onto Gwaine's chest, trying not to imagine it were someone else's - namely, the prince's.

He didn't get very much sleep that night.

* * *

"Honestly, _Mer_ lin, I don't know how you manage to cock things up so badly all the time!" Prince Arthur shouted with exasperation as he surveyed the mess Merlin had made while trying to clean his room.

"Sorry, sire. It won't happen again." Merlin ducked his head, trying not to smirk as Arthur banged around his chambers while dodging stray pieces of fruit.

"You're bloody well right it won't happen again. Because if it does, I'll make sure the villagers have a surplus of raw potatoes to fling at you in the stocks!" Merlin winced, quickly tilting his head to dodge Arthur's cup. It hit him anyways, bouncing off his skull with a metallic _clang_.

After Merlin had cleaned up, he tore out of the prince's chambers like a bat out of hell, only to be greeted by Gwaine's broad chest. The man caught Merlin just as he was about to smash his face into a pair of knightly pecs.

"What's all the rush, then?" Gwaine laughed, spinning Merlin around into a proper embrace. The servant would never get used to how touchy-feely Gwaine was around him especially. "Arthur being particularly rough today?"

"You've no idea," Merlin sighed, cradling his head in his hands. When Gwaine asked him what was wrong, all he said was, "I got hit by a renegade goblet, Gwaine. Just the usual."

"He'll never know how much you've done for him, Merlin.  I ought to knock him around for the way he treats you."

"Gwaine.  You know he's much gentler to me than he has to be."

"Oh, sorry, I didn't notice, since he's been throwing things at your head."

Merlin heaved another put-upon sigh, sinking bonelessly into Gwaine's arms.  "You don't have to do anything for me, Gwaine.  I can take whatever Arthur can give me.  Can't be worse than facing a dragon, right?"

Gwaine said nothing.  He only hugged Merlin tighter, wishing all of his burdens would just disappear so Merlin didn't have to look so despondent all the time.  It was at that moment when the prince decided to burst out of his doors, bellowing at the top of his lungs for his manservant.

"Merl -"  He stopped short when he saw Gwaine embracing someone with hair very similar to Merlin's.  When the person being hugged turned around, Arthur could see that it was, in fact, Merlin.  

"What are you - why are you - Merlin?"  The prince put his hands on his hips, tilting his head to the side in confusion.  He knew the two were close, but he'd never seen them  _this_ close.  

"What, jealous, princess?"  Gwaine smirked, twirling a very distraught - looking Merlin out of his arms, only to reel him back in.

"No!  I'm just - "  Arthur floundered, staring at Merlin and his darkening blush.

"Gwaine!  Let go of me!  Can't you see the prince - "  Merlin was cut off as he was smothered against Gwaine's chest.  When he finally escaped the hold, he whipped around to see Arthur with his arms crossed and his lips pursed into a thin line. 

"It's really not what it looks like - "

"Save it, _Mer_ lin.  That would explain why you spend so much time in the tavern together."  

"What?  He never - "  Gwaine started to say, only to be cut off by Merlin's pointed glare.  "Fine.  You found me out, _sire_.  Do you have a problem with us?  We're really very happy together."  Merlin scowled, wrapping his arms around Gwaine's torso.  Confused, the knight only had the mind to hug Merlin back.  

"As a matter of fact, I do.  I won't be served by a pouf, Merlin."  Arthur furrowed his brow, looking conflicted, yet angry.  Gwaine made a sound of indignation.

"Why does who he loves change anything, Arthur?  He's been serving  you for years, I didn't see you complaining about it then!"

Merlin said nothing.  He just stared straight through Arthur, eyes looking a bit glazed. 

"It changes everything, Gwaine.  What do you think the people will think?  Think about the rumors - "  Arthur was cut off by Merlin's hasty bow and retreat, leaving Gwaine and Arthur to face off alone.  The knight was seething, hands clenched at his sides.

"You've no idea what he's done for you, do you?"  

Arthur smirked, shaking his head.  "Who, Merlin?  He only messes everything up."

Gwaine made a sound of barely-restrained rage, willing himself not to pound the prince into the ground, if only for Merlin's sake.

"He's done so much, and you still treat him like trash!"  Gwaine shouted, waving his hands around and throwing accusing fingers at the prince.

"Be quiet, Gwaine.  Others can hear you."

"Oh yeah?  Maybe they should hear how much of a clotpole you are!"

Arthur's frown went even deeper.  He turned on his heel, opening the door to his chambers.  "Come in, Gwaine.  Let's not disturb the whole castle."

They shuffled inside, Gwaine viciously pulling out a chair and all but throwing himself into it.  Arthur took a seat across from him, leaning forward so his chin was resting in his hands.

"So tell me.  What has gotten you so riled up?"

Gwaine pounded the table, eyes glinting with anger.  "Oh, if only you knew.  If only I could tell you how many times he's saved your sorry hide.  If only I could tell you how much he cares about you -"  He stopped, the fight suddenly gone from him.  "Sod it.  Even if I told you, you'd just think I were lying."

Arthur leaned forward even closer, motioning for Gwaine to sit down.  "No, tell me.  I'd  _love_ to know what Merlin's ever done for me,"  he scoffed, ignoring Gwaine's death glare.

"Fine.  Where should we start?"

"Start anywhere.  There can't be too many things Merlin has done."  Arthur said, smirking.

"You're an idiot, you know that?  A colossal, giant idiot."

"Enough with the insults.  I want to know what you have to say."

"Fine.  Why don't we start with Sophia?"

* * *

 "You don't have to keep doing this."  Gwaine shook his head, tenderly wiping off rotten vegetables from Merlin's face.

Merlin sat sullenly, looking at his hands.

"He's right, you know.  There's no need to cover for Arthur when he should be doing his duties."  Gaius sighed, flipping through the pages of one of his many ancient books.  "Now, I have to go gather some herbs."

"What?  No, Gaius, I'll do it."

"Well, I can't very well have you go out looking like that."  Gaius smiled, grabbing his bag from a table.  Merlin slumped forward in resignation, prompting Gwaine to ruffle his hair with a towel. 

"Good old Gaius.  Here, lower your head a bit.  There's some tomato stuck to your neck."  Gwaine gently pulled Merlin's head down to get better access and began to wipe the food off.  

"Thanks, Gwaine.  I don't know where I'd be without you."  Merlin sighed.

"Hey, what's the matter?  I know you wouldn't be this down if you were just helping Arthur out.  You'd be happy for him, wouldn't you?"

"Sure I would.  I mean, I am.  Totally happy, that is."  Merlin tried his best to smile, but his lips twisted in such a painful way that Gwaine couldn't bear to look at it.  

"You can't fool me, you know.  Tell me, what's got you down?"

At that moment, Gwaine could have sworn Merlin blushed.  "You're blushing!"

"Am not!"  Merlin hid his face in his hands and fell sideways onto the bed.  

"You so are."  Gwaine pried one of Merlin's hands off of his face and ruffled his hair again.  "You're so cute when you blush.  You shouldn't hide it."

"Glib as usual, huh, Gwaine?"  Merlin scoffed, pushing himself back up to a sitting position.

"Be honest with me, Merlin.  Do you like the prince?"

"No.  He's a prat."

"That's not what I meant, and you know it."

Merlin groaned, batting Gwaine away.  "Stop it!  Even if I told you, it wouldn't change anything.  He's only got eyes for Sophia!"

"So why do you keep covering for him?"

"Because I just want him to be happy.  Even if he doesn't deserve it."

"He doesn't deserve you.  He doesn't even know you've saved his life half the time."

"And he can't ever know.  At least not until Uther is dead."

"That old crone?"  Gwaine curled up his lip with unbridled disgust.  "Even if he dies, Arthur will still feel the same towards sorcery, and you know it."

"That can't be true.  We're supposed to be - our destiny is that - "  Merlin couldn't form the words and just settled on clutching Gwaine's shirt helplessly.

"What's this about destiny?"  Gwaine cocked his head in interest.  "I've never heard you say that before."

"The dragon said - "

"Whoa, wait.  Dragon?"  Gwaine grabbed Merlin's wrists, forcing the servant to look him in the eyes.

"Yes.  The one Uther imprisoned under the castle."

"There's a dragon under the castle?  How come no one's ever told me this?"

"He's the last one of his kind.  And no, I'm not taking you to see him."  Merlin finally laughed, releasing some of Gwaine's tension.

"Alright, enough about amazing mythical creatures.  What did the dragon say?"

"He said we were...  I dunno, two sides of the same coin.  That it was our destiny to unite all of Albion."

Gwaine whistled low, impressed.  "Heavy weight on your shoulders, eh?"

"Like you wouldn't believe."

Gwaine rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a while.  Finally, he broke the silence, saying, "Maybe you could just tell him now?"

"Have you gone mad?  Arthur is completely loyal to his father.  If I told him, Arthur would execute me himself."

"So... you're just going to pine, then."  Gwaine grinned, picking the last of the rotten food out of Merlin's hair.

The manservant huffed, poking Gwaine in the chest.  "I do not pine.  I prefer to... brood."

"Oh, yeah, brooding.  How manly."  Gwaine flicked one of Merlin's ears, laughing when he almost got punched in return.

"I'll have you know everything I do is manly!"  With a cry of mock indignation, Merlin pushed Gwaine onto the bed.

"Ooh, frisky."  Gwaine flipped them over so that he was straddling Merlin's waist.  The boy was having none of it, writhing around and laughing so hard the bed vibrated.  

Soon, Gwaine had no choice but to laugh along with Merlin, collapsing onto the bed next to him.  When they sobered, Merlin turned away, his hunched up posture making him look impossibly smaller.  Gwaine reached out, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"He'll understand one day.  He has to."

"I know.  Thanks, Gwaine."  

When Gaius returned, he found the two of them sleeping with their backs turned to each other.  He chuckled and pulled a blanket over them both.

* * *

Of course, Gwaine couldn't tell Arthur about the magic, or the fact that Merlin was arse over tits for him.

"So... you're trying to tell me what I already know?"  Arthur crossed his arms.

"No, I'm trying to make you see how grateful you should be to have a friend like him!"

"He's not my friend, Gwaine.  He can't be anything more than a manservant."

"Oh yeah?  Then why does he go everywhere with you?  Why does he offer sound advice?  Why do you consult him on matters of love?"   _Why won't he do the same for me?_  Gwaine thought to himself.  

"Well, that's because..."

"You don't know, do you?  He's always tried to be the one friend you can trust, and you don't even think of him as anything more than a servant."  Gwaine rose, almost kicking the chair out from under him, and stormed out of the room.

Arthur was left sitting in his chair, not quite processing what he'd just been told.  

"A... friend, huh?"  He whispered to the empty room.  "A friend."

* * *

Merlin started when he heard the door to his room swing open loudly, revealing an angrily heaving Gwaine.  "How did you put up with the idiot for more than a year?  Ten minutes with him and I had to leave because he was being such a massive wanker!"

"You can't call the prince a wanker, Gwaine,"  Merlin teased, but his face had no trace of joy.  

"Oh, I can, and I will.  I should say it to his face.  I should say it to the king!"  The knight bounced onto the bed, cradling Merlin in his arms.  "And really, Merlin?  We're 'really very happy together'?  I don't think pretending to be my lover is going to help you very much."  Gwaine wanted nothing more than to be Merlin's actual lover, but he didn't like the fact that Merlin was using him to retaliate against Arthur.

"What else was I supposed to do?  He wouldn't have listened!  He never listens!"  Merlin burrowed into the crook of Gwaine's shoulder, trying to keep himself together.

"He would have.  You two are friends, aren't you?"

"Friends?  You must be kidding."  Merlin broke away from their embrace and smothered his face into a pillow.  "I'm only his servant.  He made that much clear when he threw a goblet at my head."

"The two of you are such idiots."  Gwaine absently carded his fingers through Merlin's hair, suddeny getting an idea.

"You have to tell him, Merlin."

"Tell him what?  That I'm an enemy of Camelot?  That I've pined over him for years?  That I almost killed both his father and sister while trying to save him?"

"It's up to you.  He needs to know.  If you really want him to understand, he needs to know everything."

"It's not the right time, Gwaine."

"When will the right time be, then?"

Merlin spun around to face Gwaine, eyes a steely blue when backlit by the candlelight.  "I don't know.  But I know that right now is the completely wrong time to tell him anything."  He closed his eyes, frown still stuck on his face.  Gwaine rubbed the creases out of Merlin's forehead, wishing he were the one Merlin was so worried about.

"Then I'll just have to take matters into my own hands, won't I?"  He mumbled to himself, following Merlin into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Merlin sighed as he looked down at Arthur's sleep-pliant body.  It was a reminder of what he wanted but could never have.  When he couldn't bear to torture himself any longer, he threw open the curtains and cheerily shouted, "Rise and shine, sire!  You have a long day ahead of you."

"Merlin?"  Arthur's voice was muddled with sleep, and Merlin had to shake his head when he caught himself thinking about how adorable the prince was half-asleep.  "'s that you?  I thought I told you to leave."  Arthur suddenly became much less sleepy and tore out of the covers.

"Relax, princess.  He's not going to violate you."  Both Arthur and Merlin turned to see who's voice it was in the doorway to the chambers.  It was Gwaine, who was leaning lazily on one of the pillars in the room.

"No, he's right.  I'm going to leave, now."  Merlin's hurt was so evident in his voice that Gwaine had to physically hold his arms to his sides to stop himself from assaulting the prince.  "Goodbye, Arthur."  He was gone after a succinct bow and some stumbling.

"Do you have to make everything hard for him?"  Gwaine pushed himself off of the column and sat in the same chair as he did the night before.  "He didn't think you were serious."

"Well, I was.  He cannot be my servant anymore."

"And being your servant is desirable how?"

"Shut up, Gwaine."  Arthur sat, tearing into the breakfast Merlin had left him.  "I'll have you know people have died wanting to serve me."

"And that makes it so much better.  Right."  Gwaine propped his elbows on the table and glared at Arthur while he stuffed his face.

"D'you want some?  I'll bet Merlin forgot to give you breakfast."  Arthur held out a peice of meat, thinking Gwaine was staring at the food and not disapprovingly at the prince.

"Who was the one who left that food for you in the first place?  Merlin never forgets to do anything for me.  Besides, it's Gaius who gives me food."

"You still hang around the two of them?  You're a knight; you have your own perfectly respectable chambers."

"I'd rather have Merlin than your stupid 'respectable chambers'."  Gwaine snatched the meat from Arthur, toyed with the prospect of throwing the food in his face, but settled on tearing it apart with vengeance.

After a beat of uncomfortable silence, Arthur spoke up.  "I thought about what you said last night."

Gwaine almost hit himself when he felt his joy surge forward.

"And I think you were right.  He didn't have to cover for me with Sophia."  Gwaine did hit himself this time, bringing his head down onto the table.  

"Really?  You still don't think of him as a friend?"

"Don't be daft, Gwaine.  I keep telling you, he'll never be more than a simple servant."

Gwaine mentally counted to ten and persuaded himself not to throw Arthur out the window.   _It's a start.  At least he acknowledged something._ "No, Arthur, you still don't understand."  He knew he was about to throw his chances with Merlin out the window by saying this, but he did it anyways:  "He loves you, you fool!  He's loved you since you used him as a target the first day you met!"

He heard something that sounded like metal on metal from where his head was still resting on the table.  He looked up to see Arthur, fork forgotten on his plate with an almost comical look on his face.

"He...  he  _what_?"

"Don't pretend you didn't hear me.  Your reaction clearly shows you did."

"He can't love me!  He's... he's a... he's just a servant!"

"So what?  You love Gwen, don't you?  What is she, then?"

Arthur rose, rubbing his forehead with his fingers.  "She's different.  I love her, not the other way around."

"Oh, so you're the only one allowed to love around here."

"That's not true!  I'm fairly certain she loves me in return!"

"That's not what I meant, Arthur."  Gwaine got up to be eye-level with the prince.  "It's Merlin, you know?  He's done everything and anything you've asked of him."

"I know that!"

"I really don't think you do."

"Oh?  Try me."

"He got sent to the stocks for you, all because you couldn't resist Sophia!  He did it with a smile, Arthur!"  Gwaine was near growling, his hands balled up into tight fists where they rested against the table.

At that, Arthur looked like he did understand, for once.  

"You're certain?  I thought you two were together."

"He faced off against Uther for you, you clotpole.  Even I wouldn't do that for someone I wanted."

The prince slumped back into his chair, hands clutching at his hair.  "Thank you, Gwaine, for letting me understand.  I know now that Merlin cannot be my servant or my friend.  He must not be allowed to even see me."

"What?!"  Gwaine screeched, lunging forwards to grab Arthur by the collar.  

"Think of the rumors!  Now people will think I'm cheating on Gwen, with a fairy, no less!"

Gwaine released the prince roughly with a look of utter disgust on his face.  "I used to think you were a good man, Arthur.  How can I keep thinking that when you continue to speak against Merlin?"  The knight stomped his way out the door, but not before knocking down a vase or two in spite.

Upon opening the door, Gwaine saw Merlin leaning against the wall for support, his face twisted into the very expression of pain.

"You heard what we said in there?"  Gwaine hurriedly pressed Merlin's face to his chest, trying to shelter the servant from the world.  "I'm sure he didn't mean it."

"He meant every word he said."

"I'm sorry you had to hear that, Merlin."

"You should be sorry that you told him in the first place!"  Merlin bared his teeth, pushing off of Gwaine's chest.

Gwaine said nothing, staring at his feet.  

"I thought I could trust you, Gwaine.  What are you going to tell him next?  That I'm a sorcerer?  That I should be burned at the stake at first light?"

"I'd never do that, Merlin."

"I'm not so sure."  The warlock rubbed newly forming tears from his eyes and stalked off in the direction of the entrance to the castle. 

Gwaine knew he should give Merlin space and returned to their room, looking out at the lone horse galloping away from the castle.  He fell asleep on the bed, breathing in Merlin's scent from the pillow.

When he awoke, he was alone.


	2. Nobody Told me it Would be this Hard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur decides to be an ass (as per usual) and Gwaine and Merlin don't fight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for leaving all of my WIP fics for dead. I'm starting a project this summer - ways not to be a dumbass and finish what I start. I'm also sorry for lying to everyone - this chapter took so much longer than it should have but IT'S HERE, which is more than I was hoping for. Hope I didn't disappoint with the relatively small word count.

Merlin slowly rose from his sleep in the stables, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and shaking off stray strands of hay that had infiltrated their way in to his hair.

He dreaded going back into the castle, what with Arthur knowing about his inappropriate infatuation with him and Gwaine being uncharacteristically gossipy.  Gwaine was only looking out for him, Merlin knew, but he couldn’t risk being found out and even more passionately hated by the prince.

Well, they did say that hate and love were two sides of the same coin.

He took as much time as he could as he brushed off the remaining hay clinging to his ratty clothes and tried to rearrange his hair in a way that didn’t look like a bird had made a home there.  When he was finally presentable, he dragged his feet on his way to his duties.

Merlin avoided Gaius’ room, knowing that Gwaine would be there. Instead, Merlin trudged slowly up the winding stairs to begrudgingly fulfill his duties as Arthur’s manservant.  It seemed that with every step he took, his breath grew quicker and his heart felt more and more like it was about to tear its way out of his chest.

It felt like ages before he finally took the final step in front of the imposing doors to Arthur’s chambers.  Inexplicably, he felt like knocking.

Tamping down that urge, Merlin hesitantly reached for the door handle and grabbed it just as it was being pushed violently open.

“Where the hell is my useless manservant -” The prince was in the process of storming out of his room, leaving behind a bewildered-looking George.  Merlin was impressed; he had never seen the fellow achieve that degree of expression before.

In the midst of his tirade, Arthur stopped suddenly, one foot literally out the door.  Slowly, he raked his eyes up and down Merlin’s undoubtedly unkempt state, his expression becoming more and more complex.

Once he was done sizing his servant up, Arthur snapped upright and turned around so fast it gave Merlin whiplash.  “George!  Leave at once.  My useless manservant has arrived.”  Arthur leaned against the door and stared George down until he was forced to leave.  Once he set foot outside of the room, it seemed as if George could not escape fast enough, though not before shooting Merlin a look that could curdle milk.

Arthur motioned for Merlin to follow him in, not once looking back at him.  Merlin quietly complied, bracing himself for either his dismissal or Arthur’s wrath.  Or possibly both.

When he reached  his chair, Arthur sat himself down with a heavy sigh, suddenly looking very exhausted.  In fact, it looked as if he hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep, now that Merlin was able to get a better look at his face.

Merlin was startled when Arthur addressed him for the first time that day.  “Alright, Merlin.  You don’t have to keep lying to me anymore,” He said, lazily waving his hand around.

“...What?”  Had the prince found out he’d been keeping the fact that he was a sorcerer a secret?  “I honestly have no idea what you’re trying to say.”

Infuriatingly, Arthur simply laughed bitterly.  “I’m talking about your and Gwaine’s little joke about you… being interested in me.”

That was no joke.  The fact that Arthur thought it to be so was crushing.  “I… don’t quite understand.”

“You always were a slow one, weren’t you, Merlin?”  Arthur chuckled.  “After Gwaine and I… talked, I had some time to think about things.”

“Oh yeah?  Like you being a massive ass?”  Merlin scoffed, trying to hide the hurt in his voice.

“I am many things, Merlin, but I am not an ass.  Anyways, I just realized that Gwaine told me that you were in love with me to get back at me for not believing you two - which I still don’t, by the way.”

Merlin’s feelings of sadness morphed into exasperation.  How could the man be so dense?

“I’ve also decided to overlook the fact that you and Gwaine are together.  If I allow him to remain in my ranks as a knight, I would be remiss to treat you any differently.”  Arthur smiled smugly, as if he were proud of himself and his supposed maturity.

“How magnanimous.”  Merlin rolled his eyes and pointed to the bed.  “Now is there anything else you need to bestow upon me, or can I finally do my duties?”

“Wow, I’ve never seen you so eager to do chores.  Was it something I said?”  Arthur snarked, and damn him, Merlin couldn’t help but huff a quiet laugh.

“No, sire, I just wanted an excuse to stop listening to your prattling on.”

Arthur laughed in earnest, and _damn_ him and his stupidly attractive laughter.

* * *

 

Thankfully, the day had passed without event and Merlin was allowed to return to his quarters by sundown.  When he opened the door to his room, he didn’t expect to see Gwaine still there, lounging around and taking up space on the narrow bed.

Merlin gulped and took a deep breath.  “Gwaine,” he called out, sounding much meeker than he’d intended to.

Gwaine jumped at the sound, sitting fully upright while taking in the sight that was Merlin.  Immediately he threw himself off the bed and brought Merlin into a tight, desperate hug.

“M-merlin, I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean -” Gwaine stammered uncharacteristically, his eyes shut tight against Merlin’s neck.

“There’s nothing to be sorry about, Gwaine,” Merlin reassured his friend, running his hand through the knight’s hair.  “ _I’m_ sorry about storming off on you like that.”

They remained like that for quite awhile, until Gwaine finally pulled back.  “No, it was my fault.  I should never have told him about your feelings.”

Merlin ruefully shook his head.  “Well, it doesn’t matter much now.  He thinks you were bloody joking.”

“What?!”  Gwaine almost yelped, eyes wide.  “How could he - that utter _bastard_!”

“Gwaine!  Calm down.  It’s fine.  He’s not going to make me quit being his manservant.  He thinks he’s doing me a favor.”  The warlock laughed softly, trying to ignore the pain in his chest.

“I’m calm,”  Gwaine said, exhaling loudly and tossing his hair back to settle down.  “I just can’t believe the nerve of the idiot -”

“Just let it go, Gwaine.  He’s as straight as an arrow.  I’m lucky to even still be serving him.”  Merlin suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of defeat and he slumped down onto the bed, covering his eyes with his arm.  He would not start to cry in front of Gwaine.  He couldn’t.

Gwaine took a seat on the bed right next to him and began to pet Merlin’s hair.  “I will, Merlin.  But only because you said so.  I can’t be held responsible if, oh , I don’t know, a rotten potato suddenly clocks the princess upside the head.”

“Gwaine!”  Merlin began to laugh, even if it was a bit forced.  Gwaine counted that as a win and continued to attempt to take Merlin’s mind off of the absolute tragedy that was his and Arthur’s fragile relationship.

**Author's Note:**

> I honestly don't know what's come over me. A year ago, I would have sworn I hated this show. I blame Colin Morgan and his loveable pointyness.
> 
> Please enjoy my self-indoctrination into the Merlin fandom - I certainly didn't expect it. 
> 
> Also, Anthony Head is the greatest.


End file.
